Press Releases

Jan 18, 2018

“Pictures of the Year” Photo Exhibit Opens April 6 at the Newseum

Exhibit Features Seven Decades of Extraordinary News Photographs

WASHINGTON — On Friday, April 6, 2018, the Newseum will open “Pictures of the Year: 75 Years of the World’s Best Photography,” an exhibit that showcases images of the people and events that have defined our times, capturing war and peace, disaster and triumph, and the social and cultural shifts that have shaped the past 75 years. The photos are a selection of the best news images from Pictures of the Year International (POYi), one of the oldest and most prestigious photojournalism contests in the world. The groundbreaking photography exhibit is being made possible with generous support from Nikon USA, and it will be on display through Jan. 20, 2019.

“We are thrilled to provide a showcase for this unparalleled collection of news photography,” said Indira Williams Babic, director of photography and visual resources at the Newseum. “This exhibit includes work by early masters of photojournalism such as Alfred Eisenstaedt as well as today’s top photojournalists. These images will remind visitors of the power photographs have to provoke wonder, spark movements and bring about social change.”

“Thanks to the commitment of photojournalists, each passing year provides momentous images that help us to understand and realize our own history through the power of photography,” said Kosuke Kawaura, director of marketing and planning for Nikon Inc. “We are proud to sponsor the Newseum, and this important exhibit.”

More than one hundred photos for the exhibit were selected by the Newseum, Pictures of the Year curators, and a distinguished panel of three photojournalists and one photo editor — all past POYi winners — from POYi’s archive of more than 40,000 photos. The images trace the evolution of photojournalism from World War II to today. The panel included:

Carol Guzy, the only photojournalist to have won four Pulitzer Prizes. She has covered deadly mudslides in Colombia, the 2010 earthquake in Haiti and the war in Kosovo in her 38-year career as a photographer for The Miami Herald and The Washington Post.

Randy Olson, one of only two photographers to have won both POYi’s Magazine Photographer of the Year (2003) and Newspaper Photographer of the Year (1992) awards. He has documented rich cultures and endangered species across 50 countries for National Geographic.

Mike Davis, two-time winner of POYi’s Newspaper Picture Editor of the Year award. Davis has been editing prize-winning photography for more than 20 years at The Albuquerque Times, National Geographic and the White House.

Barbara Davidson, who has won three Pulitzer Prizes and was named POYi Newspaper Photographer of the Year twice during her 25-year career at The Record, The Washington Times, the Dallas Morning News and the Los Angeles Times.

The exhibit is the third collaboration between the Newseum and POYi since the Newseum opened on Pennsylvania Avenue in 2008. “Pictures of the Year: 75 Years of the World’s Best Photography” will include a public program to open the exhibit, a daylong lineup of programs and activities for a Photo Day event, programs and panel discussions with award-winning photographers throughout the run of the exhibit and more.

This exhibit was created in cooperation with Pictures of the Year International, a program of the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute at the Missouri School of Journalism. The mission of POYi is to extend the reach of photojournalists through educational public exhibitions and to engage citizens worldwide with great documentary photography.

About the Newseum

The mission of the Newseum, located in Washington, D.C., is to increase public understanding of the importance of a free press and the First Amendment. Visitors experience the story of news, the role of a free press in major events in history, and how the core freedoms of the First Amendment — religion, speech, press, assembly and petition — apply to their lives. Considered one of the most interactive museums in the world, the Newseum has seven levels with 15 galleries and 15 theaters. The Newseum also reaches millions of students through its robust offering of on-site classes and workshops. The Newseum is a 501(c)(3) public charity funded by generous individuals, corporations and foundations, including its principal funder, the Freedom Forum. For more information, visit newseum.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute

The Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute works with citizens, journalists and researchers to strengthen democracy through better journalism. RJI seeks out the most exciting new ideas, tests them with real-world experiments, uses social science research to assess their effectiveness and delivers solutions that citizens and journalists can put to use in their own communities.

About Nikon

Nikon, At the Heart of the Image™. Nikon Inc. is a world leader in digital imaging, precision optics and photo imaging technology; globally recognized for setting new standards in product design and performance for an award-winning array of equipment that enables users to tell their stories through amazing photos and videos. Nikon Inc. distributes consumer and professional digital SLR cameras, NIKKOR optics, Speedlights and system accessories; Nikon COOLPIX® compact digital cameras; 35mm film SLR cameras; Nikon software products and Nikon sports and recreational optics as well as the Nikon 1 compact interchangeable lens camera system and KeyMission line of action cameras. Nikon Corporation, the parent company of Nikon Inc., recently announced the production of 100 million NIKKOR lenses in 2016, creating a new milestone in Nikon’s heritage of superior optics. For more information, dial (800) NIKON-US or visit nikonusa.com, which links all levels of photographers to the Web's most comprehensive photo learning and sharing communities. Connect with Nikon and other photographers on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Vimeo and Flickr.